A large flock of Cedar Waxwings has been present at my local patch since late November.
Cedar Waxwings are named for their appetite for cedar berries as well as their waxy red wingtips. Finding waxwings can be easy if conditions are right. In the winter months, waxwings feed predominately on the fruit of many trees including the aforementioned cedar. Find fruit trees and you will typically find waxwings. Once the food is gone so too are the waxwings.
Cedar Waxwings in a honeysuckle bush.
I’ve been following a huge flock of Cedar Waxwings at my local patch since late November. If you are wondering what I mean by patch, you can learn more in my blog post: Patch Birding: A Splendid Solution During Difficult Times or watch my episode of Explore The Wild on YouTube Patch Birding.
The waxy red wingtips are not always visible but can be clearly seen on this bird.
At my local patch, there are acres of honeysuckle bushes covered in ripe red berries. Honeysuckle fruit happens to be a favourite fruit of the Cedar Waxwing and consequently, a huge flock of waxwings has descended on my patch. It’s actually quite impressive to see how much fruit these birds consume in a week and even a day. Having watched this flock for a few months now the birds move around the patch as they devour the food from certain areas. Each day the waxwings can be in a different location within the patch depending on food or wind. I hate to sound like a broken record, but those of you who have followed me for a while will know what I’m talking about when I mentioned the wind. The waxwings are always on the leeward side of the patch feeding on Honeysuckle. A can visit the patch on a Monday with a north wind and find the birds feeding on the north side out of the wind. The very next day, I can return on a south wind and guess which side the waxwings are on? You got it, the south side!
Having a large flock of Cedar Waxwings so close to home is something I’ve enjoyed very much this winter.
Using my ears and listening for their high-pitched whistles also helps me locate the waxwings. Often after feeding heavily the birds will roost high up in the surrounding deciduous trees. Hearing their calls I look up and see the birds. Usually, after waiting only a few minutes the birds will begin dropping down to eye level in the honeysuckle and resume feeding. This not only presents great views but also the best perspective for photos.
The ripe red berries of this honeysuckle bush are the food of choice at my local patch.
Cedar Waxwings eat a wide variety of fruit and are not limited to honeysuckle and cedar berries. Mountain Ash, hawthorn, serviceberry, crabapple, and even holly berries are readily consumed by waxwings. Here in London, we have an abundance of invasive buckthorn trees and it’s not uncommon to find waxwings feeding on their berries. If you have invasive buckthorn on your property and are leaving it because it attracts birds, it’s a good idea to remove it and plant a native fruit-producing tree instead. Buckthorn is considered a starvation food for birds as it causes diarrhea and makes them weak. Buckthorn is typically consumed in late winter when other food sources become low.
Finding their food and listening for their call will help you locate Cedar Waxwings.
Next time you are out at your local patch, keep an eye out for fruit-bearing trees and an ear out for high-pitched whistles. If these are present Cedar Waxwings may be too. Remember to follow the food to keep up with the birds and you too will enjoy great views of these masked bandits.
This Common Loon was photographed with my new Tamron 100-400mm lens.
Since late November, I’ve been shooting with a newTamron 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di VC USD lens. I bought this lens to replace my Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens (the old version with the push-pull zoom) I’ve been using for wildlife photography since 2012. I’ve loved my Canon ever since the day I unboxed it. This lens has everything I wanted, long reach, fast autofocus, reasonably lightweight, and since I bought it after the Mark II version came out the price was much more affordable. I’ve taken thousands of images with this lens and it served me well over the years. Any images shot with this lens I wasn’t happy with certainly were not the fault of the lens. I planned to keep using this lens for as long as possible as I was completely satisfied with my investment.
Cedar Waxwing photographed with the Tamron 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di VC USD lens. Camera settings: 1/1600 ISO 1000 f/8 at 312mm.
If I love my Canon so much why am I replacing it? In late summer 2020 on a hike in Algonquin Park, the autofocus stopped working. I checked the switches on the side of the camera, tried turning the camera off and on, and even removed and remounted the lens. Still nothing. I used the lens in manual focus for the remainder of the day and upon returning to my trailer I once again removed the lens and cleaned the contacts on both the camera and the lens. Still no autofocus.
Achieving focus quickly on small songbirds is no problem with the Tamron 100-400mm.
I contacted Canon and they recommended sending it to their repair centre and they would give me an estimate to fix it. Not having $3000 for the new Canon 100-400mm and unsure about having mine repaired I began to explore my options.
At roughly 1/3 the price of the Canon equivalent the image quality and focus speed of the Tamron is quite impressive.
Looking at reviews on YouTube from other photographers I follow, I saw good things about both the Sigma 100-400mm and Tamron 100-400mm. These two alternatives cost roughly 1/3 of what the new Canon 100-400mm does. I was a bit skeptical about these lenses as I’ve never owned a third-party lens and to be honest the low price point scared me too. After watching several videos and looking at images taken with both the Sigma and the Tamron I had made up my mind I was going to get one of these to replace my beloved Canon but which one? I flip-flopped back and forth I don’t know how many times but ultimately decided on the Tamron for two reasons. First, the Tamron is constructed of a magnesium alloy including a metal mount versus the Sigma’s composite material which I liked better. Second, from the reviews I watched, the focus speed was reported as a bit faster on the Tamron.
Quickly obtaining focus on a small nuthatch proved no problem for the Tamron 100-400mm.
A few days after placing my order, my new Tamron 100-400mm arrived at the door. After removing and discarding the outer packaging, sanitizing the box with a Lysol wipe, and washing my hands (we are in the middle of a pandemic after all) I placed it on the kitchen table for unboxing. As I removed it from the box it felt heavier than I expected as this lens only weighs 2.5 lbs but the build quality felt nice. I rushed downstairs and grabbed my Canon 100-400mm for comparison. The Tamron is slightly smaller in length, diameter, and weight although holding one in each hand the weight difference wasn’t really noticeable. As it was after dinner and dark outside I had to wait until the following day to put my new lens through its paces.
My biggest concern when purchasing the Tamron was focus speed. Having used it now for several months I am very impressed.
The next day I was treated to sunny skies and was excited to try out my new lens. I headed down to one of my favourite locations as I knew there would be plenty of birds present to photograph. My biggest concern with this lens was focus speed as I was used to the lightning-fast instantaneous focus of my Canon. After locating a few birds and firing some shots I was impressed with the focus speed. Does the Tamron focus as fast as my Canon? It is a hair slower, but honestly, the difference is marginal and night and day faster than a Canon 55-250mm kit lens. The Tamron focuses very fast. I did find on a few occasions the Tamron hunted for focus which did concern me. This was on account of the difference in close focusing distance between the Tamron and Canon and me getting used to the focus limiter switch. Now that I have grown accustomed to this I have no issues with the lens hunting.
American Black Duck 1/1000 f/8 ISO 800 at 400 mm.
I watched several Bald Eagles fly overhead presenting great opportunities to see how the Tamron performed with flight shots. Raising my camera I could not get the lens to focus on or even find the bird in the viewfinder. I found this odd as I was so used to the Canon grabbing focus so fast. It was as if the lens was not focussing far enough to find the eagles. I tried zooming out to 100mm and was able to locate the birds in the viewfinder. I then zoomed in to 400mmm and tried to achieve focus. I fired off multiple shots of the eagles using this approach and looking at my LCD screen on the back of the camera it appeared I wasn’t achieving focus. I was getting better results with static birds but the results seemed inconsistent.
Common Loon photographed in Algonquin Park with the Tamron 100-400mm
When I got home I uploaded the images to my computer to see how they looked as trusting your LCD screen is never a good idea. Inspecting the images I took of the eagles in flight guess how many were sharp? Zero! That’s right not one. With my Canon (with working autofocus) I would have missed only a handful. To say I was disappointed was a huge understatement. As far as the static birds, I got some sharp photos but again the results were inconsistent. It seemed the lens was front focusing or focussing short of the subject which would explain why I could not reach the eagles and the inconsistency in the case of some static birds.
This Downy Woodpecker was photographed early on a cloudy morning. Camera settings 1/500 f/8 ISO 800 at 400mm.
There is an optional tap-in console available for the Tamron 100-400mm that allows you to connect the lens to a computer and fine-tune the focus and I was wondering if I needed this accessory. Not being very techie, nor wanting to spend the extra money on the console I contacted the seller and explained my situation. I asked if I needed to buy the tap-in console or if performing the focus adjustments in-camera, an option on my Canon 7D would fix the problem. The gentleman I spoke to said to try the adjustments in-camera as using the tap-in console was tricky and I could make things worse. He said if the adjustments in-camera did not work to send the lens back for calibration.
Portrait of a Common Raven
I did some Googling and researched how to perform the focus adjustments. I felt overwhelmed as again I am not at all techie. Surprisingly, this was easier than I expected. All that was required was pressing a few buttons on the camera and taking some test shots and to be honest less of a hassle than repackaging the lens and taking it to the post office.
Despite all the branches I was still able to obtain focus on this Merlin’s eye quite quickly.
The next day I headed back out to see how the Tamron performed after making the adjustments. Instantly I noticed a huge difference as the lens focussed faster and more accurately than the day before. Once again a few eagles passed by overhead. Raising the lens I achieved focus quickly. Looking at the LCD screen I could see a difference in image quality from the previous day and was feeling better about my purchase.
When I bought this lens, I wanted to be sure I could still photograph birds in flight. I am very happy with the speed and accuracy of the autofocus of the Tamron.
Curious how this lens would perform and focus on another camera body, I tried the Tamron on my Canon Rebel T3i. I am happy to report the lens focussed quickly and flawlessly. The focusing issues I had the first day seemed to be more with my Canon 7D than the lens.
Photographing Bald Eagles along the Thames River is something I enjoy very much and this lens performs very well for this.
I have been using this lens for a few months now and can tell you I have no regrets. I’m more than happy with the focus speed and accuracy. After carrying the Tamron around all day I now notice the one 1 lb weight difference between it and my Canon.
Americal Kestrel photographed during the golden hour wide open at f/6.3.
Something else I am pleased with is the Tamron is sharper wide open than my Canon. The maximum aperture of my Canon is f5.6 and I never shoot it wide open as I’ve never been happy with the results. The Tamron’s maximum aperture is f/6.3 and I can say I am happy to shoot at this aperture. Like all lenses, the Tamron is sharper when stopped down a bit so I do prefer to shoot at f/8 or f/9 when light permits but in low light conditions I am confident shooting wide open at f/6.3. I am finding I can shoot at slower shutter speeds with the Tamron than the Canon and I think this may be due to the fact the lens is smaller and lighter; therefore, easier to hold steady. We’ve had a significant shortage of sunshine so far in 2021 and with my new Tamron, I am getting more keeper images in low light than I do with my Canon.
A small flock of robins has been overwintering near my home. In low light, early on a cloudy morning shooting wide open at aperture f/6.3, I am very pleased with the performance of the Tamron 100-400mm.
So what are the pros and cons of this lens? Let me start with the pros. Obviously, the price. At roughly 1/3 the price of the equivalent Canon or Nikon counterparts the Tamron is truly impressive. Is it as good as the first-party competitors? I can’t say as I have never used any of them (again, I own the old version of the Canon, not the Mark II) but for their price, I would hope they have something more to offer. Are they worth $2000 more? Maybe for a full-time professional photographer but me, I’d rather have the Tamron and not worry about putting food on the table for the next several months.
Photographing a Northern Cardinal at 1/250 is not something I would normally do. However, with the compact size and lightweight of the Tamron 100-400mm I can hold my camera and lens steady. 1/250 f/9 ISO 800 at 400mm.
The weight of this lens is another checkmark in the pro column. At only 2.5 lbs this lens is incredibly lightweight and a pleasure to carry around all day. If you are looking for a lightweight, easy to carry lens with a versatile zoom range and decent reach this is it. Tamron’s magnesium alloy construction is high-quality and this lens is very well made. Image quality, focus speed, image stabilization, and weather-sealing to protect the lens from the elements are more pros for this lens. Finally, the Tamron is available for either Canon or Nikon camera bodies depending on which manufacturer you shoot with.
If you are in the market for a telephoto zoom lens I highly recommend the Tamron 100-400mm.
Now for the cons. Clearly, the issue I had with the focussing is a con. That being said, fixing the issue was easier than I expected, and the issue was only with my Canon 7D and not my Canon T3i so perhaps the camera is more to blame than the lens. The only other con I can come up with is the lack of a tripod collar. This comes standard with the Canon and Nikon equivalents. For me, this is not an issue as I never use a tripod or monopod with this focal length lens plus the Tamron is so light it’s easy to shoot handheld. If you do prefer to shoot with a tripod or monopod a tripod collar is available as an option.
I am impressed in so many ways with the Tamron 100-400mm lens.
I am truly impressed with the Tamron 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di VC USD lens. Focus speed, image quality, and build quality far exceed my expectations. Its compact size and lightweight are other things I absolutely love about this lens. It is a pleasure to carry around all day. For me, this is the perfect lens for my run and gun style of shooting. The Tamron’s 100-400mm range is incredibly versatile and can be used for a variety of wildlife. If you are in the market for an amazing lens for taking on hikes and capturing wildlife in the 100-400mm range and you don’t have or don’t want to spend $3000, I definitely recommend the Tamron. After a few months with this lens, I have no regrets about my purchase and look forward to using the Tamron 100-400mm for years to come.
Good birding,
Paul
* Please note this post contains Amazon affiliate links. You can help support my website by using the above links when you purchase products on Amazon (they send me a few bucks when you do at no additional cost to you). I only provide links to products I have purchased and am satisfied with based on my own experience. Thanks for your support!*
Irruption years are great for finding redpolls and other finches.
In birding, an irruption is a large movement of birds from one area to another. Currently, in Southwestern Ontario, we are experiencing an irruption of finches. Finch irruptions occur when there is a poor cone crop to our north resulting in a lack of food. This lack of food can occur for many reasons including disease, parasites, forest fires, and drought. Consequently, huge numbers of finches move south in search of food. Irruptions are cyclical and occur every few years.
Common Redpoll feeding on alder catkins.
Common Redpolls are small finches that have irrupted and can be found across our area in large numbers. Redpolls are identified by their heavily streaked bodies, yellow bills with the males having a red crown and pink chest while the females though very similar in appearance lack the pink chest.
This female Common Redpoll (note the lack of pink chest) was found feeding in a patch of goldenrod.
Finding redpolls can be quite easy by finding their food. Like other finches, repolls are seed eaters and are often found feeding on birch, spruce, pine, or where I typically find them, alder. Redpolls will also consume the seeds of grasses and wildflowers and are regularly found in patches of goldenrod.
Huge flocks of Common Redpolls can currently be found in our area.
It’s easy to overlook huge flocks of redpolls as often times they are high overhead in tall trees. Using my ears and listening for their calls helps me find these colorful birds. Due to the fact that redpolls are often so high up photographing them often proves challenging.
Male Common Redpoll with a female in the upper right corner.
As mentioned previously, I have the greatest success locating redpolls in large patches of alder trees. Alders grow in wet or moist conditions and can be found along riverbanks, ditches, sloughs, floodplain, and other low lying areas.
Common Redpolls feeding on Alder catkins.
Alder catkins are tiny cone-like fruit that becomes woody and opens up releasing their seeds (similar to pine or spruce cones). It is these seeds that redpolls can be found feeding on. So far this winter, everywhere I’ve found alder trees, I’ve found redpolls.
Watching redpolls dangle from alder branches is always enjoyable.
Redpolls will visit backyard feeders and prefer nyjer seed and black-oil or hulled sunflower seed. At a quick glance, redpolls could be confused with a House Finch so be sure to pay close attention if you have finches at your feeder. House Finches are larger and have larger dark bills, with males having more red on their heads than just the red crown of the redpoll. Female House Finches completely lack any red.
Time is running out to observe redpolls in Southwestern Ontario.
During this irruption year, the chances of finding redpolls are quite good. If you are out and about this winter keep an eye and an ear out for redpolls. Be sure to scan patches of alder trees and fields of goldenrod while listening for their calls. It will likely be a few more years before we experience another irruption and these huge numbers of redpolls again in our area.
There are plenty of bird-related activities to do while staying at home.
Last week, the Ontario government issued a stay-at-home order to get skyrocketing COVID-19 numbers under control. What this means is we are only to leave home for essential reasons such as food, healthcare, exercise, and work. For me, not much will change as most of my purchases of food and other goods have been online having the item either delivered or using curbside pickup. I can count on one hand the number of stores I’ve entered in almost a year, and I worked from home before the pandemic and will continue to after.
Fortunately, there are plenty of things we can do at home to get our fix of birds while keeping ourselves and others safe. In this post, I’m going to share several bird-related ideas to do from the comfort of your own home.
Adding a feeder to your yard is the perfect way to bring the birds to you.
1. Put Up A Birdfeeder
Bringing the birds to your yard is a great way to enjoy them anytime but especially when we are encouraged to stay home. Birdfeeders come in all shapes and sizes and can either purchased online or from your local feed supply store. Most local feed stores remain open for curbside pickup as this is considered an essential service. A feeder and a bag of food can be ordered by phone and picked up. I really like the Squirrel Buster line of birdfeeders with the Squirrel Buster Plusbeing one of my favourites. This feeder’s seed ports close off under the weight of a squirrel preventing them from accessing the seed. The large perch ring is perfect for all birds including cardinals. This feeder also comes with a lifetime guarantee.
Warblers, especially females like this Cape May are particularly challenging to identify.
2. Hone Your Identifications Skills
Now is the perfect time to learn how to properly identify some of those hard to identify birds like warblers so you are ready when spring migration hits. In my post, The 4 Best Field Guides To Help Hone Your Bird Identificatins SkillsI share which field guides I use and what I like about each one. If you are wanting to learn bird calls you can listen to the various songs and calls of birds for free at All About Birds.
An Eastern Screech Owl peeking out of a birdhouse.
3. Build A Birdhouse
Birdhouses are easy to build with minimal woodworking skills or tools required. In my opinion, there are few things more rewarding than watching birds raise a brood in a house I built myself. Check out 70 Birds for free plans on how to build birdhouses for you guessed it 70 different birds!
A Birder’s Guide To Everything is a movie about a group of young birders in search of a rare duck.
4. Watch A Birding Related Movie
It’s not a popular theme for movies and there are not many to choose from but A Birder’s Guide To Everything and The Big Year are my two favourites. The former stars Ben Kingsley and is about a group of young friends, one a birding fanatic, who set out in search of a rare duck. The latter stars Steve Martin, Owen Wilson, and Jack Black, and as I’m sure you can tell by the cast is quite funny. I watch this movie every year before heading to Pelee for spring migration.
Planting native trees, shrubs, and flowers in your yard will attract more birds.
5. Create A Garden Design To Attract More Birds
Attracting more birds to your yard is easily done by adding native trees, shrubs, and flowers. By doing so it will provide food, shelter, and areas to nest setting your yard apart from your neighbour’s. I was amazed at the variety of birds that visited my yard after doing a little research and carefully choosing some native species to plant. I found the book Gardening For The Birds: Ho To Create A Bird-Friendly Backyard very helpful in helping me choose what to plant based on the birds I wished to attract.
As you can see there are plenty of ways to get our fix of birds while staying at home. If you find yourself needing your fix, I recommend giving one or all of these ideas a try. Be sure to let me know which ones you try and which ones you like best. Keeping ourselves immersed in what we love and our minds occupied are great ways to stay positive, stay safe, and get us through these difficult times.
Good birding,
Paul
* Please note this post contains Amazon affiliate links. You can help support my website by using the above links when you purchase products on Amazon (they send me a few bucks when you do at no additional cost to you). I only provide links to products I have purchased and am satisfied with based on my own experience. Thanks for your support!*
Binoculars make spotting small birds like the Common Redpoll much easier.
Binoculars are something every serious birder owns and shopping for a pair can be confusing. What do all the features and numbers mean, how do you know which ones to buy, and how much do you have to spend to get a good pair? Over the years, I have used several binoculars both good and bad and have found an affordable pair whose performance far exceeds their price tag.
The waterproof design of the Nikon Travelite is perfect for birding by water in my pack boat.
The Nikon Traveilite binoculars have impressed me in so many ways where do I begin. The fact they are waterproof is probably my favourite feature. Some of my best days birding during spring migration have been when rain grounds the birds and not having to worry about keeping my binoculars dry means I only have to focus on the birds. Not only are they waterproof the lenses are fog proof too.
Subtle differences in field marks like those of the White-throated Sparrow are more readily seen with a good pair of binoculars.
Birds appear close with the 8x magnification and a field of view of 330 feet at 1000 yards. I don’t like using binoculars that offer too much magnification as I have a hard time holding them steady and higher magnification magnifies not only the subject but any shake as well. For me, this renders high-powered binoculars useless as trying to identify a bird that appears to be moving up and down is virtually impossible. For this reason, 8x magnification for me is right on the money. The multi-coated lenses deliver clear bright images and I’ve always found multi-coated lenses easier to clean with less streaking.
Quality optics don’t have to cost a fortune, these Nikon’s are budget-friendly.
The adjustable eyecups are great especially if you wear glasses. With a simple twist of the eyecup, you can look through binoculars while leaving your glasses on. The rubber body is soft and comfortable on the hands and at only 12.5 ounces I barely notice them around my neck. These binoculars are incredibly compact and easily fit into a backpack, purse or even a coat pocket. Perhaps the best part is the price, these binoculars are incredibly affordable. The only bad thing I can say about these binoculars is the strap is a bit thin but with their lightweight, a more robust strap is not necessary.
PROS
Waterproof
Fog-proof
8x magnification brings the subject close while easy to hold steady
Multi-coated lenses for brighter images
Twist eyecups are great for eyeglass wearers
Comfortable rubber body
Compact design
Lightweight
Price
CONS
Strap is a bit thin (not really an issue)
Up your birding game with a pair of Nikon Travelite Binoculars.
Whether you are an avid birder or a beginner, these Nikon Travelite binoculars pack in more features than their price would suggest. If you are looking for your first pair of binoculars, a new pair of binoculars, or a lighter more compact pair of binoculars I suggest looking at the Nikon Travelite.
Good birding,
Paul
* Please note this post contains Amazon affiliate links. You can help support my website by using the above links when you purchase products on Amazon (they send me a few bucks when you do at no additional cost to you). I only provide links to products I have purchased and am satisfied with based on my own experience. Thanks for your support!*
Harlequin Ducks are incredibly rare in London, Ontario. In fact, this is only the third time I’ve observed this species.
It started as a typical day. I was at my desk at 5 a.m. with a cup of coffee ready to put in a few hours of work before the sun came up. With the sun rising, I decided to take a break for breakfast. As I sat eating my oatmeal I could see it was going to be a nice day with a predominantly clear sky. Having not experienced many sunny days of late I was excited to get outside for a walk with my camera. After a quick shower and donning some warm clothes I grabbed my camera, leashed Molly (my 75lb Bouvier mix and best birding buddy), and headed out the door.
The white cheek spot of this Harlequin Duck caught my eye as it dove repeatedly in the fast water.
We were off for a walk along a section of the Thames River where there are always plenty of birds present. This is an area I recently started birding and have had great success at. I was hoping to get some shots of the Bald Eagles I often observe in the area. I’ve photographed eagles a lot here over the past few months but I was eager to get some shots of these majestic birds against the blue sky.
I found this lone Harlequin Duck associating with a small group of Mallards.
Having walked around for about an hour I had tallied a nice mix of birds and captured a few photos I was happy with. Cardinals, Cedar Waxwings, Carolina Wrens, as well as several woodpecker and sparrow species were among the birds observed. I had seen one juvenile Bald Eagle perched in a tree as well as flying up and down the river but didn’t capture the image I was hoping for.
After watching the Harlequin Duck feeding in the middle of the river it swam over to the near bank and began to preen.
Deciding I should probably get home and back to work Molly and I picked up our pace. Walking by a section of fast-moving water a duck diving in the rapids caught my eye. As I watched the bird dive and surface repeatedly I noticed it had a white spot on its cheek. Could it be? I raised my camera and zoomed in for a closer look. It was in fact a Harlequin Duck.
The faint white body stripes and chestnut flanks indicate this is a male Harlequin Duck.
The eastern population of Harlequin Ducks is listed as endangered and overwinters on the Atlantic Coast making them extremely rare in our area. In fact, this is only the third time I’ve ever seen this species in London. Back in 2015, birders flocked to the banks of the Thames River trying to get a glimpse of a Harlequin Duck that spent several weeks on the river. That bird made headlines in the London Free Press and I was even interviewed by Wei Chen of CBC radio about my experience observing the rare bird.
First-year male Harlequin Duck found on the Thames River.
The Harlequin Duck I found on this day wasn’t a vibrant male like the one of 2015, but rather a less colourful first-year male. At first, this bird resembled a female Harlequin but upon closer look, it faintly displayed the white stripes and chestnut flanks indicative of a first-year male.
Harlequin Duck surfacing after a dive.
Moving slowly along the bank I got into a position where I could photograph this Harlequin Duck. It seemed a little skittish at first but with Molly leashed and keeping her behind my crouched body it quickly realized we were not a threat. As I watched intently, the Harlequin Duck which was associating with a small group of Mallards proceeded to feed and preen unperturbed by our presence. After capturing several images and a few videos of this rare duck, we backed away slowly and left it to go about its business.
Harlequin Duck preening with a pair of Mallards.
Over the years, I’ve become reluctant to give out specific locations of rare birds. With so many social media groups and other on-line avenues for reporting rare sightings these birds often become subjected to harassment by birders and photographers wanting to get a look. Too often I see the best interest of the bird as well as the habitat in which they live not being respected and therefore I no longer share locations of rare sightings. Furthermore, with COVID-19 cases raging out of control in Ontario publically sharing this or any rare bird’s location only encourages non-essential travel as photographers and birders are bound to flock to the area in an effort to get a photo or add the bird to their lists.
What started as a typical day quickly became out of the ordinary when I found this Harlequin Duck on the Thames River.
With any luck at all this Halequin Duck will remain in the area as it seemed to be finding plenty of food and the rapids where I found it was prime Harlequin habitat. If you are out walking along the river in the city of London keep your eyes peeled for this rare duck.
Good birding,
Paul
*Watch my latest episode of Explore The Wild to see videos of this Harlequin Duck.*
Sharp images are obtainable without spending a fortune on a camera and lens. This Redhead was photographed with my Panasonic DCFZ80K a point and shoot camera I bought for $399.00.
Sharp images are the goal of every photographer professional or hobbyist. One of the biggest misconceptions in photography is that you need to own expensive gear to achieve sharp photos. In fact, most images lacking sharpness are not the fault of the camera or lens but rather the photographer. So what are some of the main reasons an image lacks sharpness?
Camera Shake – Moving the camera while pressing the shutter often results in a blurry image. Shutter speed and how steady you hold the camera can help to overcome this.
Subject Movement – When photographing wildlife dealing with a moving subject is inevitable. This too can create blur, a result of your shutter speed being too slow.
Missed Focus – Poor focus is a surefire way to end up with a photo that isn’t sharp. This could be from placing your focus point on something that isn’t the subject, choosing an aperture that results in a depth of field that is too narrow, or even pressing the shutter before your camera has a chance to obtain focus on the subject.
As you can see in the examples above, upgrading your camera and lens to the latest most expensive model isn’t going to solve these problems. Now that we know the blame is on us and not our equipment how do we go about obtaining sharp images?
A Black-capped Chickadee photographed with a Canon 55-250mm entry-level telephoto zoom lens one most photographers can’t wait to upgrade.
1. Hold Your Camera Steady
Blurry photos are often the result of camera shake or slight movement as the shutter is pressed. One obvious way to overcome this is to use a tripod but in many cases (including my style of moving around almost constantly) using one is not practical. Instead, paying attention to your technique and how you hold the camera will overcome this. Hold your camera while supporting your lens from underneath with your elbows touching your body and bending your knees slightly. Place one foot in front of the other and make sure both feet are planted firmly on the ground. If possible use a tree or other solid object to help stabilize the camera.
A fast shutter speed not only froze the action of this Red-bellied Woodpecker but also the woodchips he removed from a tree cavity.
2. Choose A Fast Shutter Speed
A good rule of thumb when handholding your camera is to use the reciprocal rule to reduce camera shake. What this means is that you want your shutter speed to be at least one over your focal length. Since most of my images are shot at 400mm this means I want my shutter speed to be at least 1/400. This only applies to a stationary subject. In the case of birds and other fast-moving wildlife, I like my shutter speed at 1/1000 or faster whenever light permits to freeze the action and give me sharp images.
Regardless of your subject, following these eight easy steps will result in sharp images.
3. Consider Using a Monopod
If you struggle to hold your camera steady and despite using a fast shutter speed you still find your images are blurry you might consider using a monopod. Monopods are great for stabilizing your camera and are much lighter and less cumbersome than a tripod. Furthermore, getting ready for a shot is much quicker and easier with a monopod as there is only one support to place on the ground. This also allows you to move around and track a flitting bird much more efficiently. I recently started using a Surui Monopodfor filming videos for my vlog and have found the difference to be night and day when it comes to camera shake. This carbon fiber monopod has a load capacity of 22 lbs and weighs less than a pound making it a treat to carry.
As it was a sunny day and there was plenty of light, I set my aperture to f/8 to photograph this cardinal.
4. Find And Use Your Lens’s Sweet Spot
All lenses regardless of price point are slightly sharper 2/3 to 1 stop narrower than their maximum aperture. For me, with my new Tamron 100-400mm lens my widest aperture at 400mm is f/6.3. Instead of shooting at f/6.3, if light permits, I shoot at f/8 or f/9 as this lens is noticeably sharper at these apertures. This is referred to as the lens’s sweet spot. Find your lens’s sweet spot and you too will notice sharper photos.
Photographing Common Loons from my pack boat was something I enjoyed this past summer. Since it was nearly impossible to keep the boat from moving using the image stabilization built into my lens helped reduce camera shake.
5. Use Image Stabilization (If Equipped)
Most lenses feature image stabilization. Depending on the manufacturer this could be referred to as IS (image stabilizer Canon), VR (vibration reduction Nikon), or VC (vibration compensation Tamron). Image stabilization won’t eliminate camera shake but will certainly help to reduce it. If your lens is equipped, make sure you turn this feature on using the switch on the side of the lens.
Dust and smudges on your camera’s sensor or lens will take away from an image’s sharpness. Keeping your equipment clean will help ensure sharp images.
6. Clean Your Equipment
Just like looking through a dirty window, an image taken with a dirty lens lacks the same colour, contrast, and sharpness leaving it with a greyish hue. Cleaning your lens regularly will remove dust, smudges, and grime resulting in much cleaner looking images. Similarly, cleaning your camera’s sensor will ensure it too is free from dust and blotches that can appear on your final images. I recently cleaned the sensor on my Canon 7D and was amazed at the difference in my photos. This task was quick and easy and gave my images that clean window look.
By choosing a single autofocus point and placing it on this Merlin’s eye I was able to thread the needle through all those branches and obtain focus.
7. Choose One Focus Point And Place It On Your Subject’s Eye
Proper focus is critical to a sharp image. Today’s cameras have so many autofocus points one would think focussing would be a breeze, however, it can be a real challenge. The problem with using all of or a cluster of a camera’s focus points is there is a greater chance of one ending up beside, in front of, or behind your subject such as a tree branch or other object within the frame, thus leaving your subject out of focus. For me, I choose my centre autofocus point and place it right on the subject’s eye. After all, if the eye is sharp the image is sharp.
This Tufted Titmouse was photographed handheld with a Canon 55-250mm kit lens. My camera settings for this shot were 1/1000 at f/8 and ISO 800.
8. Concentrate On Your Breathing
As I’ve mentioned in the past, most of my photography is done on my daily walks with my dog. As a result, my heart rate is a bit higher than that of my resting rate. Add in the excitement when a potential image presents itself and my heart rate increases further. Breathing heavy or a fast heart rate can result in camera shake so it’s important to concentrate on your breathing before taking the shot. After composing and focussing your shot, breath in deeply through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Once you have expelled almost your entire breath press the shutter. This will result in less shake and sharper images. This technique is used by military-trained snipers to eliminate shake before they take a shot and has helped improve my final images.
Sharp images are simply a matter of making a few adjustments before pressing the shutter.
Blaming our gear for images that are not sharp is something we have all done; however, it is we who are to blame. If your images lack sharpness be sure to try these eight simple steps before rushing out and buying a new camera or lens. Most times, the difference between a sharp image and one that ends up in your PC’s recycle bin is only a matter of a simple adjustment before pressing the shutter.
* Please note this post contains Amazon affiliate links. You can help support my website by using the above links when you purchase products on Amazon (they send me a few bucks when you do at no additional cost to you). I only provide links to products I have purchased and am satisfied with based on my own experience. Thanks for your support!*
Paying close attention to the weather conditions recently lead me to a wide variety of birds including this Cedar Waxwing.
Anyone who has followed my blog for any length of time or has come out to an event I’ve spoken at knows how I use the weather conditions to my advantage when birding. This approach always results in great days birding and pinpoints where the birds are. Reading the conditions helps me eliminate areas where fewer birds will be concentrated and makes my time in the field more efficient.
A large flock of robins was present feeding on the ripe berries.
For subscribers new to my blog, photography is not my main source of income and I do have a full-time job. I work from home and have since long before the pandemic and most of my birding/photography is done while taking a short break in the morning to stretch, get some fresh air, and walk my dog. As a result, I’m pressed for time so focus my efforts where I know the birds will be based on the weather conditions that day.
A male Northern Cardinal enjoying a reprieve from the cold north wind.
In terms of weather conditions, the main thing I focus on is wind the second is the sun. Wind will tell you where the birds will be during the colder months as birds will concentrate in areas protected from the wind. For example, if the wind is out of the west, a forest edge on the west side of a meadow or the west bank of a river is going to hold more birds than the east because this is the protected or leeward side. During the warmer months, the wind pushes insects into areas, and in return, birds will be there feeding. I use the morning sun to my advantage as this warms areas first and birds will associate with these warm areas in cold weather and in the warmer weather, this is where insects, a main food source for many birds, will become active first. Paying attention to the wind and sun helps me find birds fast maximizing my time outdoors before heading back to work.
This photogenic American Goldfinch dropped from high in the alders and landed only a few feet in front of me.
Let me give you a specific example of an incredible morning of birding I had last week by paying attention to and using the conditions in my favour. Following a few hours of work, the sun was finally up. I ate breakfast, bundled up, and stepped out the front door with my camera secured in my Cotton Carrier. I planned to bird at a city park only a short walk from home. Checking the weather before I left I noticed the wind was strong out of the north. As I walked to the park, I already had a plan in my head where I was going to focus my efforts based on the wind direction and morning sun.
Male Hairy Woodpecker
The park I birded at consists of a large open meadow surrounded by forest. On the north side of the park, the land slopes upward slightly into the subdivision. This is where I spent the morning birding as this subtle change in elevation provided the perfect windbreak from the cold north wind. At the bottom of this hill is a small gulley where water from the neighbourhood and meadow drains. The forest here is a mix of deciduous trees and shrubs including honeysuckle which were covered in bright red berries. The taller alder trees present growing from the water-filled trench were loaded with catkins. Where the honeysuckle ends goldenrod and teasels begin which have now gone to seed. The morning sun beaming from the south was warming this side of the park and providing great light for photos. It was the perfect mix of food, water, and shelter and birds were present in large numbers.
Teasels at the edge of the meadow provided food for American Goldfinches and other small songbirds.
Hearing the soft calls of robins and high-pitched whistles of Cedar Waxwings I scanned the honeysuckle at eye level. These bushes were loaded with the aforementioned birds gorging themselves on the ripe fruit. Raising my camera I fired off several images with my Canon 7D. From overhead, I could hear American Goldfinches and Pine Siskins that were feeding on the alder seeds.
Male Red-bellied Woodpecker heading up a tree with a walnut.
Dark-eyed Juncos foraged on goldenrod seeds from within the tangled maze of stalks that had bent over under the weight of the snow. American Tree and a Song Sparrow were also observed. Mourning Doves could be seen on the forest floor soaking up the morning sun. Higher up, both White-breasted and Red-breasted Nuthatches were heard and seen moving down the tree trunks. Loud drumming could be heard coming from the forest and after scanning the trees I was treated to great views of Red-bellied, Hairy, and downy Woodpeckers. In total, I identified 21 different bird species in this small section of the park.
Birds aren’t the only wildlife whose location can be predicted by weather conditions, these White-tailed Deer were also found in the same forest seeking shelter from the cold north wind.
Now I’m sure I could have wandered through the park willy-nilly and seen some birds, but not in this variety or quantity. By paying attention to the conditions and using them to my advantage I focused my attention on the area that held the highest concentration of birds. Using the warm morning sun and hill that provided protection from the cold north wind as a map guided me right to where the birds were. After enjoying great views of a variety of birds, some fresh air, and exercise I headed back home to complete my workday.
Cedar Waxwing
Paying close attention to the conditions and using them to give me the upper hand is something I’ve done while birding for many years and will continue to do so for many more because it simply works. If you are hoping to see more birds on your next outing keep the conditions in mind and use them to increase the number of species you tally. This simple practice is something anyone young or old, beginner or expert can do to stack the deck in their favour maximizing time in the field.
Good birding,
Paul
*My 2021 calendars have arrived and are selling fast! A great gift idea for the bird lover on your list.*
Having a battery that is ready when a shot presents itself is just as important as being in the right place at the right time.
With December now here and winter less than three weeks away, cold weather in our area is inevitable. Layering up and getting outdoors to photograph birds and wildlife is a great way to stay active during the winter months and sure makes the arrival of spring seem a lot sooner. One question I am asked all the time is how to make sure a camera battery doesn’t fail in cold weather. Ensuring your battery has plenty of power when a shot presents itself is easy by following these simple steps.
Northern Cardinal
1. Charge Your Battery The Night Before
If you are heading out with your camera anytime but especially in cold weather charge your battery the night before. A fully charged battery has more power and will hold its charge much longer than a partially charged one will. If you think because you haven’t used your camera in months the battery will still be fully charged this is not the case. Batteries lose their charge sitting and just because you turn your camera on and the battery indicator reads fully charged doesn’t mean it will last long. As you use the camera the indicator will quickly drop to 75% then 50% then 25% then the camera shuts off. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve seen this happen at workshops I’ve conducted despite reminding participants to charge their batteries the night before. Every time I hear the same response “but I haven’t used my camera in months”.
Seeing a Nashville Warbler in London on December 2 is pretty rare. This bird should be in Mexico or Central America by now. Fortunately, with a fully charged battery, I was able to capture this image to submit with my checklist to eBird confirming my sighting.
Sometimes I get questioned about this practice as people are concerned about battery memory. Battery memory is an effect that causes some batteries such as nickel-based batteries to hold less power when repeatedly recharged if not fully discharged first. Essentially, the battery remembers the lesser charge thus never reaching full capacity. Fortunately, lithium-ion batteries used in DSLR cameras do not suffer from memory effect so no need to worry about this, charge your battery!
We don’t always get to see the red belly for which the Red-bellied Woodpecker is named; however, this particular bird was happy to show his off.
2. Limit The Use of Your LCD Screen
A camera’s LCD screen located on the back of the body requires significant power to operate. Therefore, the more the LCD screen is used the faster the battery will lose its charge. When photographing birds and wildlife I only use my LCD screen to briefly look at my histogram to check my exposure. I do this periodically as light conditions and scenes change and this is done quite quickly. Reviewing my images is something I do at home on my computer. Not only is this more accurate as images on the LCD often look great only to see they are out of focus once you get them up on the monitor it also conserves battery power.
This image of the back of my Canon DSLR shows where to find the auto power off feature in the menu. You can adjust this from 1 to 15 minutes. I have mine set to 1 minute.
3. Set Your Camera To Auto Power Off Mode
This is an amazing feature that will considerably save battery power. In this mode, you can choose how long your camera stays on when not in use. For me, I set mine to one minute. What this means is when I’m walking around and don’t press any buttons on my camera it automatically powers off thus not draining the battery. As soon as I see a subject, raise my camera and press the shutter, the camera automatically powers up and captures the image. In fact, the camera will power up when any button is pressed without having to turn the main power switch off and on. This saves battery power and time. I’m a Canon shooter so this mode might be called something else for Nikon users and on my Pansonic camera, I believe it’s referred to as sleep mode. Consult your manual on how to activate this feature, you will be glad you did.
Having a battery that was ready for action allowed me to capture this image of a leucistic female cardinal. Leucism is a partial loss of pigmentation and resulted in the unusual white feathers on this bird’s head.
By following these three easy steps I’ve never had a battery let me down anytime even during the cold winter months. The memory cards I use are 32 GB and hold just over 1200 RAW images each and I have filled 2 cards in -20 to -30 Celsius temperatures and still had between 25% to 50% battery life when finished shooting. As a result, I do not own a spare battery for my Canon 7D.
Red-tailed Hawk eating a Rock Pigeon.
Earlier this year I started a vlog and am recording more videos with my camera. This requires considerable more battery power. Add in an external microphone that runs off of the camera’s battery and I found myself needing spare batteries for my Canon Rebel T3i which I use to record my vlog. Not wanting to pay $84.99 for an authentic Canon battery I decided to shop around and found this 2 pack ofPowerextra batteriescomplete with a USB charger for a fraction of the price.
American Tree Sparrows are only present in Southwestern Ontario during the winter months. To photograph these birds having a battery that is ready for the cold weather is a must.
I haven’t done a side-by-side comparison to see exactly how long these aftermarket batteries hold their charge compared to the factory Canon battery, but I can tell you I don’t notice a difference. I used these batteries extensively this year to capture footage for my vlog and record numerous takes of me fumbling my way through a sentence as I try to get my point across and have been very impressed with their performance. If you use your LCD a lot for landscape images or recording video thus using more battery power or find yourself needing to replace your factory battery I highly recommend checking these batteries out. Powerextra offers a wide range of batteries for most cameras so be sure to find the battery that is compatible with your make and model.
Woodpeckers like this Northern Flicker are among my favourite birds to photograph. I never let a dead battery be the reason for missing a shot.
Under normal operating conditions, a fully charged battery that is not nearing the end of its life shouldn’t let you down. If you have had issues with your battery maintaining its charge especially during the winter months try following these simple steps and don’t let a dead battery be the reason for missing the shot of a lifetime.
Good birding,
Paul
* Please note this post contains Amazon affiliate links. You can help support my website by using the above links when you purchase products on Amazon (they send me a few bucks when you do at no additional cost to you). I only provide links to products I have purchased and am satisfied with based on my own experience. Thanks for your support!*
American Robins are one of my favourite subjects to find and photograph during the winter months. Having warm, dry feet makes this activity much more enjoyable.
Boots are one of the most important pieces of gear I use for birding in any season. Having dry, comfortable feet is a key element to an enjoyable outing, and having the right boots is imperative. Cold, wet feet will ruin a day of birding in a hurry so investing in a good pair of boots is as essential as good binoculars.
A light snowfall made for a beautiful setting to photograph these Mourning Doves.
Over the years I have tried several different boots with moderate degrees of satisfaction. My biggest issue with most boots I’ve tried isn’t that they weren’t warm or waterproof it was that they weren’t durable. Years ago, I found a pair of boots I loved. They were lightweight, warm, and waterproof; however, I never got more than a season out of them. When birding I walk a lot so I go through footwear faster than the average person, but even with this in mind, I was unhappy with their durability. This had me back to the drawing board and searching for new boots for my winter birding.
American Black Ducks are more abundant in the London area during the winter months.
The boots I wear now for my winter birding are theRocky Blizzard Stalker. These boots maintain breathability by allowing air to circulate in yet are still 100% waterproof. With 1200 g of Thinsulate insulation they are the warmest boots I’ve ever owned. The aggressive tread provides excellent traction and at 9″ tall they are great in deep snow.
I’m going into my 7th winter with the same pair and other than replacing the laces they are still in great shape, even the treads don’t look worn. These are by far the warmest, dryest winter boots I’ve ever owned and comfortable to walk in. I won’t argue, they are pricey but considering I’ve never complained of cold or wet feet since buying them and factor in how long I’ve had them on a cost per year basis, I consider them a bargain.
The American Tree Sparrow is one of my favourite sparrows and is only found in Southwestern Ontario during late fall and winter.
If you are considering the Rocky Blizzard Stalker there are a few things to keep in mind. They are a bit big and clunky but I wouldn’t say any more than boots of a similar style. Also, some may find them a bit heavy. I personally do not and have no problems walking all day in them. These boots in a size 10 are listed at 5.5 pounds for the pair which equates to 2.75 pounds per boot. Another thing I’ve noticed with these boots is they seem to run a bit large in terms of sizing. I wear a 9.5 shoe or boot and have since public school. Not available in half sizes I went with a 9 and they are a tad big. Given they have 1200 g of Thinsulate insulation I don’t wear a heavy sock with them and likely could have gone with a size 8 to achieve an exact fit.
In my opinion, a snowy scene is the best for photographing Northern Cardinals.
Winter is one of my favourite times to get out birding. With so many species only present in our area during the winter months, venturing out in the cold is a must to observe these species.
Often during the coldest winters is when rare birds are present as was the case back in 2014 and 2015. These winters were so cold ice coverage on the Great Lakes approached 100%. As a result, large numbers of diving ducks were forced inland to the open water of the Thames River. Here in London, we saw White-winged Scoters, Harlequin Ducks, and even Red-throated Loons, a species not reported in winter in Middlesex county since 1898. During these frigid winters, birders flocked to the river to see these rarities and I was sure glad I had my Rocky Blizzard Stalkers keeping my feet warm. I could spend all day out there in -20 to -30 degree wind chills photographing these birds that I may never again see in my lifetime.
Getting out when it’s snowing often provides some of the best scenes for capturing images of birds.
Keeping my hands and feet warm used to be a challenge for me. Thanks to Rocky Blizzard Stalker boots my feet stay warm and dry. You can find out which gloves I wear to keep my hands warm in my post The Best Gloves For Winter Birding And Photography.
Redpolls only visit our area during the winter months and not every year. Currently, we are experiencing an irruption of finches in Southwestern Ontario. If you want to see these birds in our area bundling up and heading out in the cold is a must.
In the past, I was never a person who loved winter and think the reason for this was I was never warm enough. Now, with the right clothing, I embrace winter and look forward to it and the birds it brings to our area.
If you’ve struggled in previous years to keep your feet warm and dry, I highly recommend you check out the Rocky Blizzard Stalker boots, I’m certainly glad I gave them a try.
Good birding,
Paul
* Please note this post contains Amazon affiliate links. You can help support my website by using the above links when you purchase products on Amazon (they send me a few bucks when you do at no additional cost to you). I only provide links to products I have purchased and am satisfied with based on my own experience. Thanks for your support!*
